The Start

In 1935, a Depression-era government works program allowed the Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) to continue operations and provide much-needed jobs to local unemployed workers. These new employees spent their days preparing the Museum’s Earth Sciences displays. In the evenings, they held meetings in their homes to learn more about the rocks, minerals, and fossils.

With the MPM offering use of its Trustee Room for meetings and the Milwaukee Journal providing publicity, the non-profit Wisconsin Geological Society was formed in early 1936.

Branching Out

The newly-found box revealed how active the WGS was in building a solid foundation for its club and also for clubs across the country to connect. For instance, in 1940, the WGS was one of three clubs involved in the creation of the Midwest Federation of Mineralogical and Geological Societies (MWF). In 1950, WGS members were among the eight delegates to the first American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS) meeting held in Salt Lake City.

In 1984, the Wisconsin Geological Society hosted a large joint rock and mineral show with the MWF at State Fair Park in West Allis that resulted in a 36-page document outlining all the activities including field trips. Joint shows were previously held in 1941, 1944, and 1954.

Blackjack Bonanza

Corn dogs, cotton candy, amusement rides, and a lead/zinc mine tour? Yes!

From 1963 to 1966, Blackjack Bonanza mine tours were a re-creation of a real lead/zinc mine at the Wisconsin State Fair. It was a 15,000-square-foot exhibit that sported a 65-foot headframe tower, an elevator shaft that shook to simulate the ride down into the mine tunnel, and a 30 by-45-foot processing room. A hidden 50-ton A/C unit cooled the mine tunnel making guests think they were far below ground. Mine tours cost fairgoers 75 cents per adult and 24 cents per child.

Like other fair attractions, the Blackjack Bonanza became a part of history as well as the role the WGS played in its existence.

The box revealed that in 1966, members of the WGS took over the 10-day, 12-hour per day, operation of the Blackjack Bonanza mine tours. Club members provided ticket sales, tour guides, and mine workers. They also provided mineral samples for a museum display as well as staff to operate the gift shop.

Naming the Wisconsin State Fossil

State fossils are nothing new. Lots of states have them. But through the box and personal interviews, WGS members found out that club members played a significant role in the process for their state. It took three attempts before the trilobite (Calymene celebra) was officially named Wisconsin’s State Fossil in 1986.

The first attempt was made in 1981 by a UWM geology student, Mark Shurilla, but he neglected to name a specific species of trilobite. The bill failed.

Wisconsin Geological Society members picked up the process in 1983, narrowing the field to the Calymene celebra, found primarily and prolifically in Wisconsin. Again, the bill was defeated.

In 1985, at the direction of the WGS Board of Directors, club president, and chief lobbyist for the bill, Margaret Pearson, made a final and successful attempt. This time, the bill was sponsored by State Assembly member, Jeannette Bell, daughter of WGS members Harold and Luella Jeske. Members of WGS were present at the bill signing on April 2, 1986, in Madison, Wisconsin, as Margaret presented Governor Anthony Earl with a trilobite specimen to mark the occasion.

More Fossils

The original Milwaukee Public Museum opened its doors to the public in 1898. It now houses the Milwaukee Public Library. The board room where the first official WGS meeting was held still exists and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1975, the Museum moved to a new facility across the street but did not have enough room for all of the geology exhibits, including fossils that WGS members originally displayed in 1936.

Fundraising is underway for a new facility with a groundbreaking scheduled for late 2023. It should be open to the public sometime in 2026. It will be a representation of ancient sea stack formations present in Wisconsin’s Mill Bluff State Park. The rounded edges of that building will showcase the glacial weathering that formed Wisconsin and deposited those fossils. Inside, will be displayed those original WGS fossils from 1936.

Plan, Collect, Verify & Store

While the plastic box brought history to life for WGS members, they soon found out its information was incomplete and that members had bits and pieces of history in lots of places; old newsletters here, photo books there. Records ended up in various places as officers and leadership transitioned over time. The club historian, and volunteers, made a plan to gather all of the documents. Here is a to-do list for other club historians that may have the same circumstances.

• Scan and identify all photos and documents and create a digital file

• Contact club officers, new and old, for any information in their possession

• Contact outside sources to verify and provide additional information

• Create documents and a presentation to share with members

• Develop a storage plan to preserve past, current, and future records

After collecting information from members, the first critical step for the WGS was to scan and identify photos and documents and place them in a digital file, backed up on a memory stick.

Finding More Photos

Next, was to contact club officers and members to see if any files or pictures had been handed down to them. Also, an article was published in the club’s monthly newsletter, The Trilobite, asking members who are no longer able to attend meetings to offer any information or photos.

Early on, Wisconsin Geological Society members took field trips, attended study groups, participated in mineral shows, and enjoyed parties and picnics just like they do today. One of the early members must have been an avid photographer as many of these functions were captured with lovely photos. The documentation and preservation of those photos were poor. Names of members and photo locations were often missing or destroyed the photograph by writing or gluing a note directly on the photo.

An Interesting Photo

One of the most interesting photos in the collection was of young boys, wearing knickers, admiring the rocks and minerals in a Wisconsin Geological Society display case. The photo had a typewritten note paper-clipped to it, “Hobby Show November 24-27, 1950?” A scanned copy of this photo was emailed to the Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) archives department for verification. They were able to confirm that a hobby show was held from November 24 to 27 in 1949, however, they could not verify that this photo was taken at that show. According to historical fashion records, knickers for young men had gone out of fashion in the late 1930s.

Photo identification is important. Always record the following information:

• Event

• Place/location

• Date taken

• People, use an easy format of left to right (L to R) and rows top to bottom

• Photographer, if possible

Community Help

Research to fill in the missing information became the next priority. Organizations whose history crossed the club’s path came first. Historical societies and newspaper articles provided another great resource.

Some sources responded immediately, while others required a longer response time. The most successful recoveries of information resulted from telephone calls which produced a real person contact. Additional details continue to be added to the club’s historical records as a result of these contacts.

Long-Term Storage

After a huge effort to gather all of this history, it became important for the WGS to change how it gathers and stores its data in the future. The Milwaukee Public Library has worked with club members to develop a plan for the WGS to donate its current historical records and future yearly updates. Current and future WGS members will retain access to all of their records during normal library business hours.

This story about the Wisconsin Geological Society’s history appeared in Rock & Gem magazine. Click here to subscribe. Story by Sue Eyre.

The post Wisconsin Geological Society History first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Forsyth Gem & Mineral Club, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

As history reveals, the club was the product of the merging of two separate clubs, the Forsyth Mineral Club and the Winston-Salem Gem Club. The reason for the merger is unknown, but for the current membership, the why isn’t as important as the decision to unite into one club, which continues to serve the community today.

Not unlike the club itself, one of the key aspects of the club, the annual show, had humble beginnings, explained long-time club member Ken Reed. The show was first held in the “cattle barn” of the local Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. During that first show, most of the “dealers” were actually club members who had excess items to sell, Reed explained. Among the true “dealers” at the show was Jay Wescott of Wescott Trading Company, who actually fronted the funds needed to host the initial show.

“Word soon spread that ours was a friendly club and a new show with potential,” Reed said. “Our show has grown over the years to the current annual event, which brings 28 dealers from across the country, presents 35-40 exhibit cases, a geode cutting operation, grab-bag sales with identification assistance, plus a learning center with information and demonstrations.”

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the club’s show. The show will be held Sept. 10-12, 2021, at the Education Building of the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds, which is across the facility from the site of the original show. The theme for this year’s show is North Carolina Minerals and Gold.
Special events planned for the show include:
• Reed Gold Mine Historical Site – the site of the first major gold discovery in North America)
• Geologist Alex Glover will discuss “Spruce Pine Mining District.”
• Geologist Jim Stroud will discuss “Commercial Minerals of North Carolina, Past, Present

and Future.”
• Zoom presentation by the North Carolina Museum of Natural History – revealing a selection of the museum’s best minerals and background about local mines.

In addition to the annual show, the club meets regularly on the third Thursday of each month, January through July, and October through November. The club meets at the Vulcan Materials Company facility, and over the years, the club members have helped with specimen acquisition and displays for the Joseph Andres Gutierrez Geology & Earth Science Museum and Education Center, located on the company’s grounds.

Presently, the club is also in the process of establishing two scholarships in conjunction with the local Sawtooth Center for Visual Art, Reed explained.

“This facility provides studios, equipment, and instructors in many arts, including cabbing, faceting and metal (jewelry) work. Several members of our club, including our current Club President Charles Whicker, have served/are serving as instructors for these classes,” Reed stated. “The scholarships are being established to honor the contributions of two very talented founding members; Paul Burton, who served as our Show Chairman for many years; and Richard “Dick” Hartz, a long-serving officer of the club; both deceased.”

Looking back at the many years of memories, shows, experiences, field trips, volunteering, and many more adventures enjoyed by Forsyth Gem & Mineral Club members, there’s no question of the important role clubs play.

“In our current environment of internet shopping, mail order, and virtual activities, many think it unnecessary to join clubs,” Reed said. “It is true that you can collect, visit museums virtually, and see many interesting hobby-related posts on the internet. However, the personal interaction and friendships built by being a club member are irreplaceable. We meet people from many walks of life, are able to help others, and receive help as well. The people we meet influence us by the actions we observe.”

To learn more about the club, visit https://forsythgemclub.com.

The post Forsyth Gem & Mineral Club Marks 50 Years first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

The Sublette County Rock Hounds group is a relative newcomer when it comes to the world of formal rockhound organizations, but its short existence hasn’t limited its successful progress and innovation.

The group, which formed in 2016, came about, explained Club President and Show Chairman Jim Gray, after the Wyoming State Mineral & Gem Society “persisted over a span of 10 years,” asking Gray to start a club in Sublette County. It may have been one of the best decisions he’s made for his enjoyment of rockhounding and that of his neighbors in Sublette County.

Since forming, the club has held a show every year and hosts field trips, features lectures on a wide range of topics, and is currently working to develop a junior program using the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies’ (AFMS) junior rockhound program guidelines, Gray explained. Presently, club membership tops 220, and 20% of the members are under the age of 18. What an exciting time for this club!

In addition to the exciting programming and expansion of its club culture, the Sublette County Rock Hounds will serve as host to both the Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies and AFMS 2021 conventions during the club’s show June 18-20, 2021.

“The Sublette County Rockhounds are honored to host these conventions. We hosted the RMFMS convention in 2020, and it was very successful,” Gray said. “We feel privileged to welcome the AFMS and believe it to be a huge accomplishment for a fairly new club located in a rural area to be asked to host their convention! We appreciate everything the RMFMS and AFMS have to offer to the individual clubs, such as educational information and technical support.”

The club’s show promises to deliver excitement, fun, learning, and an array of knowledgeable people (vendors, society leaders, local club members) to answer questions and share knowledge. Plus, the group is working hard to provide a safe and sanitized setting for people of all ages to come and explore the wonder of rocks, minerals, gems, fossils, and lapidary arts.

Looking back on the relatively short but successful history of the Sublette County Rock Hounds group, Gray described a group of people committed to encouraging one another in their pursuits of knowledge and experiences — not to mention a group that is eager to share the love of rockhounding and lapidary art with anyone who expresses an interest. When asked for four words to describe the spirit of the club, Gray said, “dedicated, friendly, willing, and grateful,” which all sound like key ingredients in forming a club that has an impact larger than the sum of its parts and a legacy that is just taking shape.

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The post Sublette County Rock Hounds Setting the Show Stage first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

On a nice summer day in 2020, the Thunder Egg Rock Club of Springfield, Oregon, hosted a field trip to Wasco, Oregon, to safely hunt for stones at China Hollow Jaspers’ diggings.

We all met at the China Hollow shop at 1004 Clark Street in downtown Wasco. The group caravanned to the China Hollow dig site, driving across farmers’ fields and down dirt roads. At an elevation of 750 feet in this region runs a layer of jasper, the silicified mud of a long-ago lakebed. Creek gullies cut down to this elevation and the jasper is exposed, bringing delight to rockhounds.

The China Hollow digging has a brown and tan jasper that is a variety of Biggs Jasper. There are various jasper patterns and colors here, with some identified as a type of picture jasper, some dendritic. There are also green and yellow common opal. A 30-foot spire of jasper is what rockhounds first discovered in this area. It was the focus of mining efforts by local Native American tribes for centuries. The spire is long gone, but there was a twelve-foot-tall mass of jasper submerged under the water with just the top showing in a pond at the diggings. There also was a lot of jasper laying around.

For our next dig destination, the group went a few hundred yards out to a trench where people find agate. The digging there is called the Abo Pit. The upper layers have a peanut-butter-colored jasper, and the lower layers produce a yellow-to-clear translucent agate with peanut-colored spheres or blobs throughout. Some agate appears with yellow plumes, but I did not see any of this come out that day. Our effort was hard rock mining in an exposed trench where the group dug not much agate, but club vice president Steven Barnett hammered and wrestled a 200-pound chunk of solid agate out of the trench wall while the rest of us cheered him on.

After that extraction, we loaded up and drove ten miles to the Beers Mountain diggings to hunt for Biggs jasper. This type is one of the most famous American jaspers, and the chance to dig Biggs jasper is very rare. The site of Beers Mountain also has produced fish fossils, remnants of the old lake bottom. While there, we were asked to turn in any fossils we found as they were not for sale. Our group was one of the first to dig the Beers Mountain Biggs jasper in 30 years.

There was a lot of material laying around that had been excavated by the miners. Plus, there was the option to dig into the hill. The digging was very easy as the stone breaks up along seams and comes out in nice thick slabs. We all went to work, quietly digging and sharing our finds, and we all went home with great Biggs rough material. The miners told us that cutting parallel to the slab faces brings out the best patterns, and that worked great with the stones I brought home and cut.

The China Hollow jasper and the Abo Pit agate cost $1 per pound, and the Beers Mountain material is $5 per pound. The dig sites are under different owners, but all of the sites are managed by Jay Carlson. Only groups are allowed in and only by appointment by contacting Jay at: shermancountyrocks@gmail.com or 206-755-6637.

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The post Hunting for Agate and Jasper In Oregon first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

What do a 108-year-old person and an eight-year-old have in common? Quite a lot, if you ask the members of the Victor Valley Gem and Mineral Club (www.vvgmc.org), which is the club both people (108 and 8) belong.

A perfect example of how this club serves the interests of all age groups is the annual Rockhound Tailgate at Stoddard Wells, which is slated for March 13-15, 2020. This marks the 44th year the VVGMC has sponsored this wildly popular event, which often draws a crowd of at least 1,500 and often upwards of more than 3,000, during the three days. It’s become, as club president Dwayna Barron explains, a regular outing not only for club members and residents but visitors alike.

“We have many vendors that have been coming for years, and they rarely miss,” Barron stated. “We’ve heard that several of our vendors do the circuit of Quartzsite, Tucson and Stoddard Wells, then head home or off to their next show.”

Activities for All Ages

With three days of tailgating and rockhounding adventures suitable for all ages, it stands to reason why people choose to make the VVGMC Rockhound Tailgate a must-attend event. In addition to the on-going tailgate, the weekend always involves the Saturday morning field trip.

“Every year we make the short trek to the other side of the mountain to collect tri-colored marble and Verde antique marble,” Barron explained. “There were once mines and quarries in the area that used these materials (to construct) large buildings in Los Angeles and San Francisco. We’re amazed that there is anything left, after all these years.”

Victor Valley Gem and Mineral Club 44th Annual Stoddard Wells Rockhound Tailgate 
Date: Mar. 13-15, 2020
Location: 7 miles East of Dale Evans Parkway on Stoddard Wells Rd., outside of Victorville
Admission: Free
Visit vvgmc.org/tailgate.html for more information.

Each year the club strives to expand existing aspects of the Tailgate or introduce new elements, and this year one of the new features is a food truck on-site, all weekend. It’s part of what supports and fuels the sense of community, adventure, and encouragement that is prevalent among participants.

“We love to see people shopping, eating, visiting, showing off their finds from the field trip, trading dollars for grab bags from the kids, and challenging each other for that special item in the silent auction,” said Barron. “All of that means everyone is having a good time and we did our job.”

While the club does ask vendors to contribute an item for the silent auction and make a small donation to cover the ancillary expenses, the event is free to the public.

Building on a Solid Foundation

The club’s legendary Rockhound Tailgate is part of a history that spans

more than 70 years. While the club formally organized as the VVGMC in May of 1947, it was the result of an idea that began in 1941, Barron said. At that time, the Dana Club of Los Angeles was seeking people with an interest in rocks, minerals, gems, and the like to help form a branch of the International Gem and Mineral Society in the Victorville area. The initial meeting brought together 15 or so people, including leaders Mrs. Helen Pratt, Charles H. Sumner, and B.R. Dunham. The ideals of the club’s founders, which included promoting interest, exchanging ideas, forming field trips, welcoming others and bringing educational features around the idea of rock collecting, have not only stood the test of time, they remain applicable today.

One of the most significant avenues the club values and utilizes to carry on these timeless ideals is the group’s clubhouse. The clubhouse, as Barron said, is “everything to many of our members. It meets a variety of needs and interests.”

Whether it’s gathering socially to discuss rock collecting, participate in the monthly potluck, learn new techniques during an education night, attend various meetings, support, lead and participate in the children’s arm of the club (Petrified Pups), or use of one or many of the items of equipment including grinders, genies, a selection of saws and slab saw, or the burn-out kiln or glass kiln, the clubhouse functions as a hub for this extremely active club. Plus, with six certified instructors among its membership, educational opportunities abound.

Creating and Encouraging Life-Long Learning

“A new member said the other night, that if it wasn’t for the club, she just wouldn’t have the creative outlet she has, nor have access to the equipment and information that’s available, or the opportunity to meet great people,” said Barron.

With these various components supporting and representing the service and ideals of the club, the VVGMC leadership also knows the importance of being organized and investing in the vision. At present, Barron explained, the group has been identifying the club’s needs, looking at the short-term and long-term goals, to create a strategic plan.

A lot has changed since that first gathering of what would become the Victor Valley Gem and Mineral Club, but in many ways, the vision, excitement, and spirit of community that inspired a small group of rockhounds 70-plus years ago is at the center of progress today.

For More Information

Email: info@vvgmc.org
Telephone: 760-243-2330 and leave a message or contact Ruben Martinez at 760-490-8263
Website: vvgmc.org
Clubhouse Address: 15056-B 7th St., Victorville, CA.
Monthly meetings: The education program is the third Tuesday of every month, beginning at 6 p.m. and the monthly potluck and general meeting is the fourth Tuesday of the month, also beginning at 6 p.m.

The post Club Spotlight: Victor Valley Gem and Mineral Club (VVGMC) first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

Walt Disney reportedly once said, “Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children.”

It’s evident how this perception has benefited youth and the Disney brand for decades, but did you know that one of the most active and impactful rock clubs in the U.S. can attribute its origins and much of its growth to the minds and eager interest of youth?

Origins in Youthful Inquisitiveness

It’s true. The Mother Lode Mineral Society of California (MLMS) grew out of the interest and ideas of a group of chemistry club students at a local high school. It was the early 1930s, and members of the Modesto High School chemistry club expressed interest in going on a field trip to the Sierra Mother Lode 1849 Gold Rush area, to their advisor Dr. Will L. Brown, according to MLMS historical records.

Dr. Brown, a chemistry teacher at the school from 1920 to 1941, approved and lead the field trip. The club also hosted its first mineral show in the early 1930s, and except for a short hiatus during World War II, MLMS has held a show every year. In the early years, the show took place on the canvas-covered wooden floor of the Modesto High School gymnasium. Today, the MLMS, which was incorporated in 1936 with Dr. Brown as the group’s first president, occupies the two main buildings of the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock, California each March, to present this wildly popular show.

“We provide a high energy, educational family event with an inviting ‘come see what there is to do!’ feeling. The energy and excitement of our show is felt the moment people approach the admission desks,” explained Terry McMillin, a long-time MLMS member and co-show organizer with her husband Bud, who is also the club’s vice president. “The show committee consists of 33 active members who meet six times a year to plan and organize the show. Show meetings are always high energy events that generate lots of shared ideas. “

Mother Lode Mineral Society’s Gem, Jewelry and Rock Show 
Date: Mar. 14-15, 2020
Location: Stanislaus Fairgrounds, 900 North Broadway, Turlock, California
Admission: Adults $6, free admission for children 12 and under with a paid adult admission.
Visit www.turlockgemshow.com for more information.

Collaborate and Educate

In addition to high energy, the words innovative, hands-on, and collaborative also describe the MLMS’ annual show. The group partners with school districts within 40 miles of the fairgrounds to encourage students to attend. In 2019, 4,000 children under the age of 12 attended the show, McMillin said.

“Teachers are very aware of the educational value of our show and encourage their students to attend by offering extra credit for completing the Treasure Hunt, which includes items like the California state fossil, rock, gem, and mineral,” added McMillin. “Kids in our area know all about the show and look forward to it.”

Elementary-age children are not the only youth actively participating in the show. The MLMS, which has a membership of of 291, including 43 junior rockhounds, also teams up with local high schools to create volunteer opportunities for teens. During the 2019 show, 118 students provided 385 hours of volunteer service.

“We would have difficulty running the show without the help of these wonderful high energy kids,” said McMillin.

The collaborative efforts evident during the Mother Lode Mineral Society of California’s Gem, Jewelry and Rock Show, do not stop with the annual event. The Delta Gold Diggers of Stockton, California oversee the gold panning booth, while the Great Valley Museum of Natural History, associated with Modesto Junior College, presents hands-on Earth science exhibits throughout the show. In the past, McMillin said, other collaborative partners have included Women in Mining Education Foundation and the California Geological Survey.

Diverse Learning Opportunities

The demonstrations and exhibits taking place during the show are also fantastic examples

of the importance of community and collaboration to the MLMS, which was incorporated in 1936 with Dr. Brown serving as the first president.

Each year the show features around 10 demonstrations and more than 60 display cases featuring exhibition specimens organized by adult and junior members and guest exhibitors. For example, the field of demonstrations includes faceting, chain mail, soapstone carving, pearl stringing, forming cabochons, and silversmithing. The demonstrators are MLMS members, Modesto Junior College jewelry or lapidary students, and invited guests.

Additional notable guests and presenters who participate in the MLMS show include Dr. Alan Schaffert, organizer of the non-profit organization the Tethys Ocean Project, which is focused on introducing people to marine fossils, and this year’s exhibit will feature sharks; Richard Wade, a popular presenter at the show, whose discussions about dinosaurs typically draw crowds of 300 people and more; along with internationally known paleontologist Neal Larson who joins the ranks of experts discussion dinosaurs during this annual gathering; and Mike and Chris Whittier, owners of Rocks in a Hard Place and MLMS members, whose appreciation for fluorescent minerals began as a table-top presentation. Five years later, and the MLMS show features just not a table or a section devoted fluorescent minerals, but a 1,200-square-foot room with 18 tables of fluorescence exhibits, many of which are from the collections of Fluorescent Mineral Society members.

“We strive to involve people with a passion for what they do,” McMillin explained.

Always Aiming to Improve

One of the longest and best examples of the MLMS effort to partner with a wide variety of community groups and individuals to enhance multiple interests is the partnership with Modesto Junior College. The two groups have enjoyed a fantastic working relationship for around 50 years, which was when the college started offering day and evening lapidary and jewelry classes, McMillin said.

For its part, MLMS provides and maintains the lapidary equipment, while the college provides the facility and the instructor, who also happens to be an MLMS member. The partnership has grown and evolved over the years and has weathered some challenges including the unexpected closure of space on the Modesto campus where lapidary workshops were held. As the groups work toward and wait patiently for a new permanent space to become available, a member opened a building to serve as a temporary location. These many experiences and collaborations have truly strengthened the relationship between the two groups, McMillin explained.

As the Mother Lode Mineral Society continues to feed various rockhounding interests, every effort is done with an inquisitive and appreciative spirit, which serves to inspire people today and for generations to come.

For More Information

Email: rocksbob@sbcglobal.net
Telephone: 209-365-3301
Website: www.motherlodemineralsociety.com
Show Website: www.turlockgemshow.com
Monthly meeting: First Sunday of the month at the Tuolumne River Lodge on 2429 River Rd., Modesto, California. Meeting begins at 1:15 p.m. for juniors and the general meeting follows at 2:30 p.m.

The post Club Spotlight: Mother Lode Mineral Society first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

From the beginning, the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society’s (TGMS) objective, as written in the group’s constitution, was clear: “to encourage the interest and study of Gemology and Mineralogy.”

As this innovative and inclusive Society eagerly heads into 2020, that same vision remains prevalent. “Here we are 73 years later, and that statement still holds true,” said Patricia McClain, 40-plus year TGMS member, and Executive Manager of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society.

2020 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show^® Details
Date: Feb. 13-16, 2020
Theme:”World Class Minerals”
Location: Tucson Convention Center, 260 South Church Ave., Tucson, Arizona
Admission: Adults $13 (two-day pass $22), free admission for children 14 and under with a paid adult admission.
Visit www.TGMSs.org for more information including discount coupons for admission

The Society began through the interests of Mr. J.R. Watwood, Sr. and Mrs. Margaret O. Gastelum on Dec. 3, 1946, McClain explained. The initial group was small but dedicated to pursuing knowledge, creating opportunities for others to learn and grow in the shared interest of gemology and mineralogy, and encouraging others to engage in the study and appreciation of earth sciences.

If ever there was a prime example of revered anthropologist Margaret Meade’s famous quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has,” then TGMS is it.

Evolution of a Club Into an International Icon

What began with 28 people, gathering monthly, has grown into a Society with more than 500 members, year-long programs, gatherings, classes, field trips, and of course, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show^®.

The idea to organize and host a gem and mineral show came as a suggestion from David Record in August of 1949, but it wasn’t until March of 1955 before the first show came to fruition. In the beginning, the idea of a show was met with a mix of intrigue and skepticism by the TGMS Board, McClain explained. As reported in an article written by Dan Caudle and published in an April 1972 issue of Rock Talk, “…they weren’t particular in favor of having a show either, but if it wouldn’t cost the club anything and somebody wanted to be responsible for it, it would be all right with them, but they didn’t think it would work.”

It didn’t take more than the first show, held March 19-20, 1955, to change the board’s perspective. During the April 4, 1955, general meeting, the decision to hold another mineral show was approved, and the rest, is a history of hard work, significant volunteer involvement, community collaboration, and support and promotion.

“With all the hard work from a small group of volunteers at the very first show, to this year, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, Show Committee and a very large group of volunteers continue to make each show better than the last,” said McClain. “Which is why the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®^® has the international reputation that it has … and we are the cornerstone of all the events in the City of Tucson.”

Honoring Traditions While Expanding

Looking at the past, present, and future of the TGMS, two examples of the

Society’s evolution are visible in growth in size and reputation. From 28 members in 1946 to more than 500 in 2019, that’s growth for the society and the show, McClain said. What began with the first show held in a Tucson elementary school auditorium has become a show that occupies the 189,000 square foot Tucson Convention Center and is attended by tens of thousands of people from around the world.

As the show is a function of the society, and because of the success of the show and the funds it generates, TGMS has its own building, where micro mount meetings, educational classes, and Society events are held, explained McClain. Also, the Society donates money to several outside organizations and donates funds to at least two worthy college students annually to further their studies in the field of earth science. Plus, during the school year, TGMS members accept invitations from schools to do presentations about the field of earth sciences, McClain added.

Looking ahead to a new year of new opportunities and new experiences, the TGMS aims to continue to grow its membership, expand outreach programs, classes, field trips, and the Show.

“Because of the continued growth and involvement of its members, something is happening all year long,” said McClain. “From such a small beginning into an internationally-known organization, that in itself is exciting.”

For More Information

Email: tgms@tgms.org
Telephone number: 520-322-5773
Address: 3727 E Blacklidge Dr, Tucson, AZ 85716
Website: www.tgms.org
Monthly meeting: First Monday of the month, except Sept., and it begins at 7 p.m.

The post Club Spotlight: Tucson Gem & Mineral Society (TGMS) first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.